


Face to Face

by memes4ballum



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-24 20:20:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22163860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/memes4ballum/pseuds/memes4ballum
Summary: Callum arrives back on the square, and finds out about Sheanu. One thing is on his mind - he has to speak to Ben.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell, Callum “Halfway” Highway/Stuart Highway, Paul Coker/Ben Mitchell, Rainie Branning Cross/Stuart Highway
Comments: 3
Kudos: 31





	Face to Face

**Author's Note:**

> A lot of mixed emotions in this, and there is a few mentions of Paul and Pam, so you might even shed a tear or two!

After 3 weeks away from Walford, Callum arrived back to the square and was greeted by Rainie and Stuart at the tube station. They were both wearing white t- shirts with 'Welcome Home Cal' in red capitalised text, whilst they both held up helium balloons (Stuart particularly liked helium balloons as he loved the fact that they make your voice go all funny). As Callum approached them both, all he could feel was embarrassment. "Welcome home little bruv" Stuart said as he gave Callum the biggest hug  
"Oi I wanna hug him" Rainie then goes in for a hug and Callum says "yous alright?"

"Its good to have you home" Stuart says softly with a smile on his face  
"Yeah it's good to be back" Callum smiles while he tries so desperately to hide the sadness and heartache - the same sadness and heartache he felt 3 weeks ago when he spoke to Ben for the last time and set off on his travels.

As they walk away from the tube station  
Rainie asks Callum for all the details on everything he got up to  
"So did you meet any fellas, get lucky? fall in love? do anything you regret? do anything naughty that you cant remember?"

"Uhhh no no I just done a bit of travelling, went a few places, caught up with a few old army mates" Callum replied nervously.

Reluctant to speak about what he did for the past 3 weeks, Callum then changed the subject

"So did you's have a good Christmas and New Years? Did I miss anything?' 

Rainie then instantly replied with excitement, so eager to tell Callum all the Mitchell gossip "Nothing that exciting Callum, apart from your ex boyfriends step mother getting it on with, you'll never...guess...who...Keanu Taylor"

'Rainie!!' Stuart shouts in annoyance.  
Both of them had agreed not to say anything as they didnt want Callum to think about Ben.

Rainie then tries to defend herself "What? He was gonna find out sooner or later" 

Callum then stops in utter confusion  
"What? Sharon and Keanu had an affair?" he simply could not believe what he was hearing.

"More than an affair Callum, hes the father of her baby" Rainie couldnt but help smile knowing the Mitchell family were falling apart.

In that moment Callum couldnt help feel like Ben knew. 'That's what he had to "deal" with. That's why he drove me away! That's why he broke things off!!' Callum thought to himself.

For some reason Callum just had to go and find him, he had to find Ben.  
'Uhhhhh I've got something to sort out"

"What? Bruv but we've thrown you a welcome home party?" Stuart was obviously disappointed  
'I'll be back soon...promise' Callum said as he turned the other direction

Callum then walks away from Rainie and Stuart and heads to the car lot - thoughts and thoughts going over his head, his heart beating a thousand beats a minute, he was so nervous, but he knew he needed answers.

He didnt know what he was going to say to Ben. All those feelings he had tried so hard to forget about for 3 weeks, suddenly all coming rushing back to him. He just knew he had to speak to him.

Callum walked striaght into the car lot and seen Ben sitting on his chair reading paperwork. In that moment both of them just stared straight at each other like they were in some sort of slow moving dream.

Ben couldnt help look both surprised and secretly happy to see Callum, and then nervously asks 

"Uhhh uhhh what are you doing here?"

"I know ben, okay I know everything" Callum says determined to find out why Ben couldnt just have been honest with him.

"You know what?" Ben says sarcastically

"I know about Sharon and Keanu"

Silence then filled the office and Ben sat thinking to himself before saying

"You've only been back 5 minutes? How do you know?' and smirked.

"Stuart and Rainie told me...why could you not have just told me?' Callum said desperately, just wanting answers.

Ben was failing at trying to hide his feelings for Callum, and then turned to his defence mechanism - sarcasm. 

"Ahh well it's good to know Sharon's scandal is still the number 1 trending amongst the people of Walford" 

"That's what you had to 'deal' with isnt it? so tell me, what have you and your dad done to him? to Keanu? so what was it then? what was the "big revenge plan"?"

Ben laughs in denial at what he's heard, knowing he still believes he killed Keanu.

"Look Callum I didnt do anything to that weasel Keanu, alright? As if I'd get my hands dirty over a grease monkey like him. I only got you away incase things got messy with him and my dad, which they didnt before you say anything else" 

"Like I said to you before you left, it was going to be over soon, and nothing happened because for starters, my dad almost got killed a few months back, do you really think he would be in the right state to commit murder like what? some sort of pyschopath?"

Callum couldn't believe what he was hearing, why was he being like this? still doing this to him? still lying? 

"You know what Ben? I was honest with you, about everything. I went away to clear my head, yet here I am still seeking answers- still wondering why after everything we've been through, you turned your back on me, on us. Why cant you just see what's in front of you for once?"

With a single tear dripping from his eye, Callum continued  
"You and me were happy. I was happy for the first time in my whole life, genuinely happy, not having to live a lie anymore, and I opened up to you Ben, and allowed myself to love you. And you? you had found happiness again after Paul. We both deserved to find each other, but for some reason you had to take that away, in the matter of one night, when you said all those things" 

Ben could obviously see how much Callum cared for him, and how much he was hurting, and as soon as callum said that, it hit home to Ben. He knew everything Callum was saying was true, he did turn his back on callum, on them, and his happiness. 

After everything Pam said to him about 'being happy instead of being alone and taking risks' and how 'Paul would want him to be happy' he had to do this for Pam but more importantly for himself...Ben was scared that the truth would destroy him and Callum, forever. No going back. After all he 'murdered' Keanu. 

Ben thought to himself 'I cant forgive myself for what I've done, so why would he forgive me? What I done was unforgivable and past the point of belief. I dont deserve love, I dont deserve to be loved?!' 

Ben knew he'd lost Callum so what was the point in trying to lie anymore? tears filled his eyes and he said genuinely with every bit of heart in him

'If you want the truth....I'll tell you'

"I killed him Callum, I killed him. I arranged for him to be killed, and he died. No silly pranks to scare him, no 'ifs or maybes' - I killed him" 

The guilt was so evident from Ben's face and the emotion in his voice, although he said it bluntly, his voice broke with guilt.

Callum sat and listened to every word Ben had just said but he was utterly shook to the core. 

Callum couldnt find any words all he could think was, 'his ben? the Ben he had fallen in love with?' 

All Callum wants is a simple and quiet life - and to be happy, for the first time ever, to be happy and in love. He thought he had found that in Ben.

As the silence and seconds grew, Ben looked at Callum, at his face and then said 

"I told you the truth Callum, and now you're free to walk straight out that door, you dont ever have to speak to me again."

Callum got up off his chair, turned his back on Ben and slowly began to walk away. He then turned to see Ben for one last time.

Could Callum really bring himself to walk out the door? and walk away from Ben?


End file.
